Gradjamacation

My Baby graduated yesterday.


It was just from Kindergarten, and I am philosophically opposed to the way schools and parents over-celebrate every little childhood accomplishment as though each and every minor achievement is deserving of pomp and circumstance. But still. Sniffle. He's done with Kindergarten.
I cried when he started Kindergarten and today I cried when he finished.

He has grown up so much this year. He has: Learned to count to 1000, learned to read Frog and Toad chapter books himself, learned to count out change, learned to tell time (and not just on a digital clock) and learned how to write stories about his life.

He has also learned how funny a fart is and how superior boys are to girls (excuse me?) and how his school is better than all the others in our county.

He has learned how to be a great teacher's helper and he has learned how angry and disappointed his father can be when he comes home from school with notes about bad behavior.

He learned how to ride his bike without training wheels and he learned how to buckle his own seatbelt.

But he still needs to be tucked into bed every night and he still needs help tying his shoes. He caught in a world between being my baby boy and being this humongous boy-child, moving independently about the world.


I love you Gabe and I am so proud of you.

13 Things (and a bonus item or two)

I'm still alive..and so are my children.

This working full time gig is kicking my ass blog-wise.

Things which have occurred since I last blogged:

1. Kids have all been snotty and sick and feverish at least once.
2. Ribh has achieved fully accomplished bipedal status and runs around all over the place.
3. Hubby finally got the Social Security office to accept our application for Ribh's social security number, which should arrive in the mail in approximately 27 weeks.
4. I did 800 loads of laundry.
5. The Boober Dog is getting more and more arthritic and pitiful everyday and some days can barely make it down the stairs and outside to pee more than once.
6. Hubby and I attended a Chiropractic Conference where we both taught. (Hubby a headlining speaker in fact. Me? Just a fun little adjunct.)
7. I cleaned the toilets once (sad isn't it).
8. I spent 40 plus hours in my minivan simply commuting. And listening to books on tape. If only I had a computer in there.
9. I walked during my lunch hour 3-4 times per week and worked up to doing 9 sets of a 40 step flight of stairs each time. Whew! (And yes, my arse hurts...but hopefully is shrinking!)
10. Went to the Birthday Party of Noah; Gabe and Quin's stream-stomping-buddy. Drank a few margaritas and watched the kiddos play crazy German party games (because Noah's mom is a German nutball).
11. Went through caffeine withdrawal and then learned to enjoy coffee without sugar (see number 13).
12. Took an afternoon off from work with Hubby, left the children in child care, and took a nap together. Just the two of us. At the same time. With no children in the bed. Or even in the house! Bliss.
13. Gave up sugar 2 weeks ago. Holy schmoly, it ain't pretty. Lost 3 pounds though.

We are driving to South Carolina to go to a rugby tournament this weekend. I'm sure that will be interesting, but you'll probably never hear anything about it ever again from me.

I will leave you with a favorite link, to which I had every intention of doing a tribute...but never got off my arse and made it happen. Enjoy.